Category: Blog Post

Rough – When it rains it pours. It gets rough out here. I wish us all safety.

Scared – When it’s rough it’s scary. Not much else to say there.

Abstinence – is good every once in a while. I will be doing a tech version of it in August. What will this include?

• No cell phone during the day.
• Social Media fast.
• Writing notes on paper

The first few days, just looking to get through the first few days.

Clarity – I’m doing it for a sense of clarity. I use my phone as an escape, and I want to make sure I am clear with what I am using it for. Attention is golden, no need to waste it.

Power loves means testing – What do I mean by that?

• Ask the folks who are waiting for their loan forgiveness and that place is crawled to a halt due to the Trump admin being pro-loan.
• Ask the black folks who tried to vote after being made citizens and all of a sudden got tested.
• Ask the people who got welfare swept away for a political stunt while we watched more of the safety net strings get plucked away.

Means testing allows for barriers. Barriers are often constructed by the folks in power and are designed to make sure people aren’t able to get to what they need.

Instead of adding stipulation, real change happens with things are universal and cannot be impeded. That free speech thing is great, how great would it be if someone said free speech*.

We know what that answer is.

https://twitter.com/andraydomise/status/1143477232704335874

Product = Problem – Product people need to know the problem because no one else is thinking about it. Problems help us focus. Problems help us prioritize. Problems help us communicate. Also, problems are ambiguous, you’ll have to keep wrapping your arms around it.

Reflections –  I spent some time in Kansas City last week. Here are two reflections:

AirBNB has completely transformed the market for apartments. Many exist just as “hotel rooms” and apartment complexes have transformed staff into concierges. This drives up prices and puts people in positions they didn’t sign up for. I’d be interested to see how this continues to evolve int he next few years.

BBQ is awesome with pickles. Didn’t know that, now I am obsessed with adding pickles to everything. 

Last Black Man in San Francisco – this is a powerful movie dealing with racism, gentrification and generational trauma.  Last Black Man in San Francisco is not for the crowd that wants to be guided through the movie experience – you’ll have to think through this movie – not because it’s unclear, but because it reflects humanity so well. Nothing is black and white, it is all shades of grey. 

It is possible to leave the film with different conclusions and all those conclusions be right. Highly reccomend. 

Debt Relief – Bernie Sanders is drafting legislation to cancel all student debt. I think this is a good thing. We are in a dire situation. The country’s wealth has moved in one direction – towards the wealthy. The latest report says that the bottom fifty percent has captured ZERO percent of the wealth generated in the last 25 years. ZERO. That is where we are. Things like free college that comes from taxing the people who acquired all the wealth is a start to rectifying the situation. We either start getting some of that wealth back by legislation or we open the door to a future where none of this matters. 

Rest – Sleep in, sleep well, sleep often. I didn’t last night, and I am paying the mental price today. Thinking about a sleep coach. Do those exist?

Cheap – is good when quality isn’t important. Figure out where quality isn’t important and get it from CVS and the dollar store. Invest that money back into the things where quality matter (if you are curious – I invest HEAVILY in trash bags).

Easy – When it’s built a certain way, it should probably be easy to put together. If it’s hard, then usually it’s user error. Find the user error.

Do It Right Once – The latest challenge for me with Yoga is to do it right, once. Every pose has a purpose, and when I do it “right” i’ll feel the right muscles work without risking injury. Even if I have to take a break, I’ll do it right once.

Silence Even For An Hour – matters a lot for your mental space. I love yoga because it doubles as a meditation. In class, I have no access to my cellphone or anything else. I get silence, the stretch is a bonus.

Yahoo! – Exists as a way for me to distract myself. As strange as it is to admit, I know the Yahoo front page is going to have something I want to see, no matter where I go. It’s a way for me to gauge focus – if I am headed there I am clearly distracted.

Travel Fatigue – To travel is to tire. I travel a good amount. It doesn’t get easier. I wish I knew how to change that.

Soreness post workout – This is a signal. Too much, and you did too much. Just a little, well, it’s more than likely a sign of a good workout. If you haven’t been a little sore in a long time, it’s a sign you aren’t pushing yourself.

History – The history of it all is important. All of it. Most of the history that we get is from one or two perspectives (a lot of history is propaganda, but that is for another time), so we have to make time to look for the others. There are a lot of stories that will help you find you.

Sleep Deeply – Rejuvenation. Deep sleep helps with that. If you aren’t focused on getting the sleep you need then you’ll never think deeply either.

Silence – Silence is golden. I miss seeing that around. Silent time is golden time when you can focus. It’s hard to focus, since we are constantly bombarded by interrupts, but, if you can find it – it’s golden.

Focus – The reason why deep sleep and silence work is because you have time to focus. Even in sleep, your brain is at work. It’s why there is a difference in sleeping in a nice dark room in warmth or a bus. The former will help deep clean your brain, the latter may help you recover, but doesn’t give you focus.

Late – If you are late, at least prepare. Five more minutes to get a document ready, stretch, or take a breath is worth it. A non-negotiable is communication. Apologize, give an updated ETA, and depending on the relationship, an update on status. 

Innovation pt 3 – Buy-in isn’t just enough from leadership. You’ll need it on the ground too. Most folks are not prepared to take on the responsibility of the win/loss column. If you are a leader, it’s your job to get them ready and prepare them to accept the results, good and bad.

If they see you shirking away from failure, they won’t ever accept it from themselves.